Monday, July 31, 2017

Boys Choir of Harlem sing 'We Shall Overcome'

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Notations From the Grid (W-End Edition) : The Automatic Customer (From Our Archives)

Image result for The Automatic Customer

Our team wanted to share this excerpts from our research on the Automatic Customer which we hope all enjoy which we assess in our own properties as we continue to work to transform our network:

1. A free chapter of The Automatic Customer
As promised, here’s the sample chapter of The Automatic Customer. You’ll find links for where to buy the book at www.AutomaticCustomer.com/book/.
2. E-book
Click here to download the e-book on 9 subscription models that can be applied to any business.
3. Eight Part video series
In part 1 of the 8-part video series on the drivers of company value, we explore how your financial performance impacts your company’s value. I will send you the next part of the series each day for the next seven days.
I shot the videos in my capacity as the founder of a company called The Value Builder System™ where we help business owners improve the value of their company. You can see what we’re up to here:www.ValueBuilderSystem.com.
Enjoy!

John Warrillow
Author of Built to Sell & The Automatic Customer
Creator of The Value Builder System 
© Built to Sell Inc.
577 Kingston Rd #211
Toronto, Ontario M4E 3H7


A shotgun deal is the most brutal form of capitalism. When you can’t stand your partner anymore, you offer them a price for their shares. They have two choices: accept your offer or buy you out for the same amount. Triggering a shotgun deal can have explosive results, as Kim Ades found when she offered to buy out her husband’s share of Upward Motion.

The secret to a shotgun deal is making a reasonable offer—one that you would be willing to accept yourself. To find out what a fair offer would be, get your Value Builder Score now.
P.S. Advisors: If you are an M&A professional and help people like Trent create short lists of potential buyers, we would love to talk.
John Warrillow
Author of Built to Sell & The Automatic Customer
Creator of The Value Builder System 
© Built to Sell Inc.
577 Kingston Rd #211
Toronto, Ontario M4E 3H7
Canada

Since you signed up at AutomaticCustomer.com, you have received parts 1,23 and 4 of the 8-part video series describing the drivers of company value that I promised you.
Today’s video looks at the role recurring revenue plays in making your company look irresistible to an acquirer.
The recurring revenue stream you create from “Automatic Customers” is key to driving up your company’s value.
I can say this with confidence because over at The Value Builder System™, we have analyzed and advised more than 17,000 businesses and we’ve found that those users with at least 50% of their revenue from recurring sources were more likely to get an unsolicited written offer to buy their business. As well, the value of those offers was significantly higher than average.
We’ve developed a 12-step process for creating recurring revenue and improving your company’s value, following the themes in both The Automatic Customer and Built to Sell. It all starts with your Value Builder Score, which you can get by completing a short, confidential questionnaire about your business. If you’re interested in getting your score, please visithttp://www.automaticcustomer.com/get-your-score-now.
John Warrillow
Author of Built to Sell & The Automatic Customer
Creator of The Value Builder System 
© Built to Sell Inc.
577 Kingston Rd #211
Toronto, Ontario M4E 3H7
Canada

Since you signed up at AutomaticCustomer.com, you have received parts 1,234 and 5 of our 8-part video series describing the drivers of company value.
Today’s video looks at what Warren Buffett called your “competitive moat” – the single most important factor for improving the value of your business to an acquirer.
If you’re wondering how Warren Buffett would evaluate your competitive moat, get your Value Builder Score, which evaluates your business on the eight factors that drive your company’s value - including how well you have differentiated your product or service. Take The Value Builder Questionnairehere.
John Warrillow
Author of Built to Sell & The Automatic Customer
Creator of The Value Builder System 
© Built to Sell Inc.
577 Kingston Rd #211
Toronto, Ontario M4E 3H7
Canada

Okay, here we go, your second-to-last video in our 8-part series on driving the value of your company (and here are parts 12345 and 6 in case you missed any.)
Today’s video looks at how to create a legion of customers that are willing to refer you, which is arguably a prerequisite for getting a premium offer for your business.
Speaking of getting a premium offer for your business, have you completed the Value Builder questionnaire yet? Owners that achieve a Value Builder Score of 80 + (out of 100) get offers that are 71% higher than average. Get your score by completing the questionnaire here.
John Warrillow
Author of Built to Sell & The Automatic Customer
Creator of The Value Builder System 
© Built to Sell Inc.
577 Kingston Rd #211
Toronto, Ontario M4E 3H7
Canada

Thursday, July 27, 2017

View of the Week (Weekly Edition) : On The Power of Resilience (From our Archives)

Image result for mit sloan logo

Please enjoy this on the Power of Resilience from the MIT Sloan School:  


• View the Twitter chat and continue the conversation at#ResiliencePower.



 


Read insights and highlights from Yossi Sheffi's presentation and Q&A session.


Monday, July 24, 2017

Notations From the Grid (Special Climate Weekly Edition): An Inconvenient sequel & a Snapshot on Climate News

Watch a special panel with Vice President Gore and four Climate Reality Leaders.
 
More than a decade after former US Vice President Al Gore helped get millions talking about the climate crisis with An Inconvenient Truth, he returns to the big screen next week with the exciting new film An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
An Inconvenient Sequel arrives at a critical moment in our movement’s history, as Americans fight back against an administration that prioritizes the interests of fossil fuel corporations over the health of our planet.   
The film follows Vice President Gore as he travels the world and works with scientists, activists, and ordinary citizens to build an international coalition ready to confront the greatest challenge of our time. 
We’re thrilled to share that An Inconvenient Sequel also showcases our Climate Reality Leadership Corps trainings, reminding us what can happen when regular citizens stand up and speak out to protect our shared home. 
The film will be released in New York and Los Angeles on July 28, before hitting theaters nationwide on August 4. To watch a preview of An Inconvenient Sequelcheck out the trailer below.
WATCH

Please also note this latest on climate news:

Updates from

Today's Climate

07/21/2017
The White House Office of Management and Budget detailed yesterday how it would eliminate hundreds of regulations, upending federal policies designed to protect labor, the environment and public health as part of its push to reduce restrictions on business and industry.
(Washington Post)
The case of Joel Clement, a senior Interior Department scientist who was reassigned after speaking up about climate change, appears to be part of a pattern, a new report suggests. Clement says the administration "has abused a long list of rules and procedures to purge scientists and experts that don't agree with their political views."
(InsideClimate News)
North Dakota's main energy trade group will be allowed to weigh in on the decision on whether to temporarily shut down the Dakota Access oil pipeline, a judge said yesterday. National energy and manufacturing groups may also be able to have a say.
(Associated Press)
Researchers found that "payments for ecosystems services" in Ugandan villages had climate and economic benefits. In two years, where landowners were paid to leave trees standing, forests lost 4.2 percent of trees, while forests in villages where landowners received nothing lost 9.1 percent.
(InsideClimate News )
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed an executive order last week calling for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent by 2025. For all the praise, there is just as much skepticism over the fact that the plan did not outline concrete steps to achieve the goal.
(Colorado Independent)
Environmental groups are suing the EPA, alleging that it isn't properly policing air pollution permits in Texas. They say a loophole in Texas law allows oil refineries and power plants to release emissions when machinery malfunctions or undergoes maintenance.
(Texas Tribune)
An activist group found that the coal power boom in Southeast Asia is being funded by foreign governments like Japan and China. The analysts examined 22 deals in Indonesia and found that 91 percent had backing from foreign governments.
(The Guardian )
Michael Gove, who leads the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, criticized Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and pushed for international cooperation, saying the U.S. "can't simply walk out of the room when the heat is on."
(Newsweek)

Sunday, July 23, 2017

View of the Week (W-End Edition): On Staying Prepared

JULY 20, 2017

Prepare Your Home for Wildfire

How Prepared Are You For Wildfire
Where there is smoke, there could be fire! Wildfires can occur anywhere, any time of the year, and destroy homes, businesses, and natural resources.

According to the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise Communities Program, more than $1.9 billion was spent on wildfire suppression in 2016.

  • Watching the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s wildfire animation – When the Fire Starts.
  • Reviewing your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy to ensure you have the adequate coverage for your property and personal belongings.
  • Removing flammable items, such as firewood piles and portable propane tanks, within 30 feet of all structures and discarding any dry or dead vegetation from up to 100 feet around your home.
  • Learning and practicing evacuation routes from your home or business to an area that is not affected by the wildfire. The best action to protect yourself and your family is to evacuate early and avoid being trapped.  

Wildfires can occur any time of the year, but are especially prevalent during the dry season. Make sure you prepare ahead of time by checking out Prepareathon's How to Prepare for a Wildfire Guide.

Preparedness for Parents

Family Fills Out Emergency Plan
Have you heard? National Parents’ Day is Sunday, July 23. In observance of this occasion, we encourage family members to help parents prepare for emergencies. Prepareathon and the Ready Campaign highlight several ways to prepare for the unexpected.

Some of these actions include: 

Disasters can be stressful for kids. Try to make emergency planning fun for children in your family. Visit www.ready.gov/kids for exciting games, quizzes, and other resources to help young children and teens understand the importance of emergency preparedness. 

Preparedness for People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs

Make an Emergency Plan
The 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is Wednesday, July 26. Individuals and caregivers for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs are encouraged to evaluate their necessities in the event of an emergency and create an emergency plan unique to them.

The Ready campaign shares several easy ways to create an emergency plan tailored for specific needs:
  • Collect information – Create a paper copy of the contact informationincluding phone, email, and social media information for your family, friends, caregivers, neighbors and other important people or service providers.
  • Share your emergency plans – Tell your employer and trusted people in your support networks where you keep your emergency supplies, what you need, and how to contact you if the power goes out.
  • Practice Your Plan – Dedicate time to practice your emergency plan with your support network, just as you would with a fire drill.

For more great information on how to make your emergency plan, visit Ready’s Individuals with Disabilities page. 

Live from the Youth Preparedness Council Summit

Youth Preparedness Council Logo
On Tuesday, July 18, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) members conducted broadcasts on Facebook Live during 2017 Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, DC.

If you missed the live streams from the Koshland Science Museum or the National Portrait Gallery, it’s not too late. The videos are still available on Prepareathon Facebook page.

Live Broadcasts
  • Koshland Science Museum - Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at how YPC members handle disasters in the museum’s Extreme Event game.
  • National Portrait Gallery – Watch YPC members discuss their preparedness projects.

To learn more about FEMA’s YPC, please visit: www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council

Important Dates to Remember

Creative Commons License